[SOLVED] Loss of Internet Access from Browser --> AVG settings

About 5 days ago I took the MS updates for XP Home and Pro on two PC's. Since then I have not been able to get internet access from a browser (FireFox, IE, Opera). Email (Thunderbird) is okay but not a browser from either PC. The work around on both has been to set program control to OFF.
This seems to be similar to a security update issue from exactly two years ago:Workaround to Sudden Loss of Internet Access Problem Date Published : 8 July 2008 Date Last Revised : 14 July 2008 Overview : Microsoft Update KB951748 is known to cause loss of internet access for ZoneAlarm users on Windows XP/2000. Windows Vista users are not affected. Impact : Sudden loss of internet access Platforms Affected : ZoneAlarm Free, ZoneAlarm Pro, ZoneAlarm AntiVirus, ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware, and ZoneAlarm Security Suite

Re: Loss of Internet Access from Browser Using XP

Those MS bulletins have to be read with caution. It doesn't mean that every ZA user wo installed the security update KB 951748 is affected. I also have this update installed since 2009 and haven't got this issue. If you want to confirm that this caused the issue, you may temporarily uninstall the update and see if it makes any difference. I doubt it. First step to solve your problem should be to make a clean ZA 9.2. install. Instructions are easy to be found in this forum. Also be sure not to run more then 1 firewall and antivirus solution at one time.

Re: Loss of Internet Access from Browser Using XP

DL-sixes: Thanks for the response. I was not trying to say the 2008 issue has happened. I too have had that MS security patch installed for two years with no ill effects. Rather in my search it is the only symptom that I could find that is similar to what is happening on my 2 XP boxes since taking an MS update last weekend.

I am running ZA 9.2 already. Yes, the next step is to uninstall/ install. I was hoping others here may have seen my issue. There is a post about two weeks ago that is close but the user is running v8. Just hate to do an un/ in without understanding.

Re: Loss of Internet Access from Browser Using XP

Another possibility is a corruption of the ZA settings or incorrect ones.

Try to reset ZA:

1.) Hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys together
2.) Right click on the ZA icon near your clock
3.) Choose 'Reset' from the box that comes up
4.) Choose Yes on the Reset Settings dialog box
5.) When prompted, choose OK to restart your system
6.) Follow the on screen configuration prompts after reboot

Do no touch defaults and see if you haev still problems. Also check that your DHCP/DNS is set as trusted in the ZA firewall and that the trusted zone is set to medium.

Issues of this kind can be linked to malware infection. Check your system.

Re: Loss of Internet Access from Browser Using XP

Hey Fax,
Thanks for the points on resetting ZA. I will try that in a day or so when I can get on the XP Pro. I ended up reloading 9.2 on both the XP Pro and Home after doing full ZA uninstalls. That cleared up the Home since it turned out I was running (duh) an 8.x release. Unfortunately it did not help the Pro. There are very few programs under ZA's program control now. But unfortunately the state is the same: Firefox cannot access the internet with program control enabled/ Firefox can access the internet with program control disabled. Thunderbird can access the internet either way. I need a few hours on a weekend to work through this one.

Re: Loss of Internet Access from Browser Using XP

Okay, I finally tracked it down. I use AVG and had blocked its network scanner from accessing the internet. That locks up any browser. Unfortunately it occurred after a boot where a number of MS security patches were applied so I went of in that direction for some time.
Thanks to others for their thoughts and help.